Page:History of Jack and the giants (6).pdf/14

14 How Jack ſlew a Giant, and delivered a Knight and his Lady from death.

ACK travelled over vaſt hills and wonderful mountains, when at the end of three days, he came to a large and ſpacious wood, through which he muſt needs paſs, where, on a ſudden, to his great amazement, he heard dreadful ſhrieks and cries, whereupon, caſting his eyes around, to behold what it might be, he beheld, with wonder, a Giant ruſhing along with a worthy Knight and his fair Lady, whom he held by the hair of their heads in his hands, with as much eaſe as if they had been but a pair of gloves, the ſight of which, melted poor Jack into tears of pity and compaſſion. Wherefore he alighted from off his horſe, which he left tied to an oak tree, and then putting on his inviſible coat, under which he carried his ſword of ſharpneſs, he came up to the Giant, and though he made ſeveral paſſes at him, yet nevertheleſs, it could not reach the trunk of his body, by reaſon of his height, though it wounded his thighs in ſeveral places, but at length giving him a ſwinging ſtroke, he cut off both his legs, just below the knee, ſo that the trunk of his body made not only the ground to ſhake, but like wiſe the trees to tremble, with the force of his fall, at which, by mere fortune, the Knight and the Lady eſcaped his rage, then had Jack time to talk with him, and letting his foot upon his neck, ſaid, You ſavage and barbarous wretch, I am come to execute upon you the juſt reward of your villany. And with that, running him through and through, the monſter ſent forth a hideous groan, and yielded up his life into the hands of the valiant conqueror, Jack the Giant Killer; while the noble Knight and virtuous Lady were both joyful ſpectators of his ſudden downfal, and their own deliverance.